<p>Hey there,
I am currently putting all my efforts into my college applications, but the Financial Aid Application is something I haven't fully understood, yet.
btw, i am an international student, so I'm appyling at colleges that provide need-based financial aid for international students.</p>
<p>So far, I have basicly experienced three different forms: CSS Profile, International Student Certification of Finances and the ISFAA, the International Student Financial Aid Application.
I believe that the CSS and the ISFAA are the same?
Also, I believe that the International Student Certification of Finances is basicly the form, what colleges give to the government for the student visa? At colleges having no need-based financial aid for internationals, only this certification has to be filled in.</p>
<p>But how is this application working for need-based colleges?
I really need financial aid to cover the tuition of most of the colleges on my list, but I don't know exactly what to fill in, especially in the section for Expected Support for Educational Expenses on ISFAA similar to the student's sources of funds on the Certification of Finances. Should I enter the sum, what we are theoretically possible to pay(Certification) or should I enter the sub, that we would realistically pay? Just from the paper, we would be able to pay 40k, but then all our savings are gone, so this isn't the sense of this form, is it?</p>
<p>As you see, I am not really sure, what the my expected amount of annual support is. I hope that you can help me with this.</p>
They serve the same purpose, but they are different forms. The CSS Profile is online (and the questions are a bit more specific), while the ISFAA is a paper form.</p>
<p>When you apply for need-based aid, check with the colleges if they want the Certification of Finances right away. I did not have to complete it until after I was admitted and received a financial aid offer, because I did not know what amount I would have had to certify.</p>
<p>When the ISFAA asks you what you expect to contribute, be realistic. Chances are that colleges will ignore that answer completely, but you don’t want to hurt yourself saying you expect to pay $40,000 a year when the college would have otherwise given you a financial aid offer with $30,000. Unlike BafoeG, US colleges expect you to use all of your own savings and some of your parents’ savings to pay for the cost of your education.</p>
<p>You might be able to get a ballpark figure for your family contribution here: [EFC</a> Calculator: How Much Money for College Will You Be Expected to Contribute?](<a href=“http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp]EFC”>http://apps.collegeboard.com/fincalc/efc_welcome.jsp) It is technically meant for families living in the US, but the cost of living in the US is comparable to the cost of living in Western Europe. My actual financial aid offers were very close to the estimate I got using the Institutional Formula, once I deducted the “Sozialversicherungsausgaben” from the income used for the estimate.</p>
<p>Regarding the question about how much you can pay, see if the relevant colleges have FA calculators on their sites. If they do, work through them and just put down whatever number they churn out, and then make a note that your figure was derived from their calculator. If not, your best bet is to contact the relevant FA offices, and ask for clarification.</p>
<p>yeah ok, know a lot seems logical
I also wondered why some colleges require me to file the Certification of Finances right away. How should I know how much I have to certify… so I just copy the figures from the ISFAA although they don’t cover full tuition? So probably the colleges will then add to that with financial aid? Bafeog is so much eaiser ;)</p>